Air humidifier for carburetors



Dec. 8, 1936. w. F. SHREVE AIR HUMIDIFIER FOR CARBURETORS Filed May 7,1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1936. SHREVE 2,063,130

AIR HUMIDIFIER FOR CARBURETORS Filed May '7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (WWWf) F 5111?: y:

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR HUMIDIFIER FORCARBURETORS William F. Shreve, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application May '7, 1934, Serial No. 724,337

4 Claims.

This invention appertains to humidifying apparatus and more particularlyto novel means for controlling the humidity of air.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of the use of adevice sensitive to moisture for controlling, through suitableelectrical mechanism, the flow of conditioned air to its point of use.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of ,a devicewhich is particularly susceptible for delivering moisture saturated airto the carburetor of an internal combustion engine, whereby tofacilitate the smooth functioning of the engine with a minimum amount offuel con- 5 sumption.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means fordelivering conditioned air to the carburetor of an internal combustionengine in accordance with atmospheric conditions, the device functioningfor delivering a maximum amount of moistened air to the carburetor ondry days and for delivering a minimum amount of moistened air to thecarburetor on damp days.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of means fortaking the hot moist vapors from the top ofthe engine radiator and fordelivering these vapors to the carburetor of the engine in directaccordance with atmospheric conditions, a novel type of hydrostat orhygrometer being employed for controlling the flow of said vapors to thecarburetor.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improvedhumidifying attachment for the carburetors of internal combustionengines of the above character, which will be durable and emcient inuse, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture and one which canbe placed upon the market at a low cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:' v

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile showing myimproved device incorporated with the engine thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through a part of theair conditioning apparatus illustrating the means for carryingcondensation therefrom.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the part of the air conditioningapparatus shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the hydrostat or hygrometer employed forvarying the amount of treated moist air delivered to the carburetor inaccordance with atmos'pheric'conditions, the cover plate of the casingof the hygrometer being shown removed.

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view illustrating themeans of coupling the solenoid with the butterfly valve for controllingthe flow of air to the carburetor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate the corre- 10 sponding parts throughout the severalviews, the letter A generally indicates an internal combustion enginewhich can be of any preferred type or make. The engine A includes theusual intake manifold I0 and exhaust manifold II. A car- 15 buretor I2is employed for delivering the fuel mixture to the intake manifold. Thecarburetor I2 is provided with the usual air intake I3 which cancommunicate with a conventional air cleaner I4.

The cooling system for the engine A includes an ordinary type ofradiator I5, the opposite ends of which communicate with the waterjacket of the engine (not shown).

The parts of the engine above described are of the conventional type andhave merely been illustrated to show the use of my improved humidifyingapparatus B.

While I have shown my improved humidifying device B incorporated with aninternal combustion engine, it is to be understood that the use 0thereof is not limited solely for engines, as obviously, the principlesthereof can be used for other purposes.

As brought out in the objects of the specification, one of the mainfeatures of the invention is 35 the delivering of heated moist vaporsfrom the radiator I5 of the internal combustion engine to the carburetorin accordance with the humidity of theatmosphere. To accomplish thispurpose,

I provide a vapor conducting pipe I6 which leads 40 from the upper endof the radiator I5. Thus, this pipe is adapted to collect and suck thehot moist vapors from the top of the radiator. Prior to the delivery ofthe moist vapors to the engine, the same is preferably mixed with theoutside 45 air. Hence, the vapor conducting pipe I6 leads into one endof a mixing casing IT. This mixing casing I1 is provided With a taperedbottom wall I8, the lowest end of which has formed thereon a drainnipple I9. A drain pipe 20 can 50 communicate with this drain nipple. Arelatively large outlet pipe 2| communicates with the mixing casing I!at a point remote from the vapor conducting pipe I6. Both of the pipesI6 nd 2| termina e short of the bottom wall of the 55 casing. The topwall 22 of the casing has struck up therefrom a lip 23 forming an airentrance opening 24 at a point intermediate the pipes |6 and 2|.

intake l3 and the air cleaner l4.

of the fitting 25 is provided with an-l 'elbbw 2.6

between the air intake l3 and the air cleaner.|-4

a coupling or fitting 25 forming a part of my apparatus. This couplingor fitting- 25 has its:

opposite ends communicating directly withthe air The lower wall to whichis coupled in any preferred manner. the.

upper end of the air conducting pipe 21';

In order to provide means for supplying a uniform amount of moistenedair to the carburetor under: all atmospheric: conditions,;I providenovel means for controlling the flow of air to the carburetor in directaccordance with the natural humidity of the atmosphere. This meansincludes a hydrostat or hygrometer 21 which may 7 be disposed at anypreferred point; This hydrostat or hygrometer comprises a. housing 28havingits opposite ends perforated or provided with openings 29 topermit'theflow of'outside. air

. therethrough. Disposed within the casing 28 -is a resistance element.30 which may consistof ,a resistance coil or plate attached at itsopposite ends to a bracket 3| formed of insulating material. Thisbracket can be bolted. or otherwise secured tofone wall of the casingDisposediwithirr the casingrisa device32'which is highly sensitive tomoisture and may consist of. one: or more strands of any suitable:material treated in any preferred. manner. II propose to use one 'ormore strands of human. hair, the opposite ends of which are. anchored toblocks; 3.3 adjustably carried'by the terminals of aninvertedU-shapedbracket 34., Thisbracket 34 is bolted. or otherwise secured, as.at 35 to the top wall of thehousing 28. I have found thathuman hair isparticularly adapted for my purpose; and as: the humanhair becomes. dry,the. same. tends to decrease, in length and: thus become taut betweenthe blocks 33. As the hair becomes-moist, the same lengthens and sags.The amount of its sag is in proportion to the amount of moisture in.the; atmosphere. 1

Arranged within the casing or housing 28. is a supporting. bracket; 35-supporting an easily "movable rock shaft 36 to which is'secured anoperating; and indicating lever or pointer 31;- The fulcrum of the leveror. pointer 31 is adjacent to its rear end. and, the forward, end of thepointer is adapted to travel, over the resistance 30. The short, end; ofthe lever or pointer, has pivotally connectedthereto a connecting link;the upper endof. which is in. turn pivotally connected, to a relativelyshort double-armed lever 39.. This lever 39; is also rockably mountedonthe bracket. 35 andthe end' thereof opposite to the connecting link. 38has. pivotally connected thereto an op crating rod 40. The upper end, ofthe operating rod 40 is; clamped as at 4,1. to the central part of: thehair strands.

From. the description so far, it can be seen that as the'hair dries out,the same will become taut andthe operating rod 40. is raised. This willpush. down on. the short end of: the. lever or pointer 31 and raise thelong end of the pointer and move the same over the resistance 30. As thehair becomes moist, the weight of the long end of the lever will causethe same to move over the resistance 30 and pull down on the rod 40.

In conjunction with the resistance 30 I utilize a solenoid 4|. Thissolenoid 4| can be disposed in a suitable housing 42 riveted orotherwise secured to the coupling or fitting 25 interposed between theair intake. l3. and. the air cleaner l4. Rockably mounted, withinthecoupling or fitting 25 between the air cleaner l4 and elbow 25 is abutterfly valve 43. Connected to the butterfly valve 43 is an operatingcrank arm 44 and by moving the crank arm 44, the butterfly valve .canbe-moved, to an open or closed position. A

contractile coil spring 45 has its opposite ends connected respectfullyto the crank arm 44 and k to one vend wall of the housing or casing 42and normally tends to swing the crank arm to the left (see Figure 5) tomove the valve to an open position. p

The solenoid includes a. movable core 46 having pivotallyconnected'therewi'th an operating rod 4.1. The outer'end of theoperating'rod 41 is in turn connected'to the outer end of the crank arm44. The resistance 30 and the solenoid 4| can be connected to? anysuitable source of electrical energy such as the usual storage batteryof the automobile and the battery has been indicated diagrammatically inFigure 1 of the drawings.

Leading from the battery 48 is-a feed wire 49 and this-wire can leadtoone end of the resistance 30. A switch 50 can be incorporated in thelength of a wire 49 and this switch may be formed of the ignition switchof the engine. so that when the ignition is turned on, my humidifyingdevice will also be turned on. Electrically connected with the lever orpointer 31 is awire 5| and this wire may'lead to one terminal of thecoil of the solenoid 4|. The opposite terminal of this coil can begrounded as at 52. The other terminal of the battery 48 can. also begrounded as at 53.

In use of my improved device on dry days,

rent to. flow throughthe coil and. solenoid 4|. 7

Upon the energizing of the coil, the core 46- will pipe 2 I, casing l1and vaporconducting pipe l6,

and the hot moist vapors from the radiator l5 are; drawn in from thecarburetor. r On extremedamp days. the hair will sag ma.- teriallymoving the pointer 31 over the resistance away from the wire 49.. Thus,a maximum amount of the resistance will be in circuit with the coil ofthe solenoid allowing the tension. of the spring 45 to overcome the;magnetic force of the coil. Thus. the springwill: move the core 46outwardly and swing the butterfly valve, 43. to an open position. Themoist atmospheric; air can then, flow directly into the carburetor;

Obviously, the pointer. 31 will be moved over the resistance in.accordance.- with the. position of the hair 32 andconsequently; the.butterfly valve will be positioned in accordance with the differentamounts of flexing of the hair.

In the drawings, I have shown the overflow pipe 55 of the radiatorarranged within the vapor conducting pipe it, but obviously, the samecan be disposed exteriorly of the pipe I6, if so desired.

While I have shown the opening 24 uncovered, it is contemplated of usingan air cleaner therewith, so as to insure the delivery of clean air tothe carburetor at all times.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided anexceptionally simple and efiicient device for accurately controlling theflow of humidified air to its point of use in direct accordance with thenatural humidity conditions of the atmosphere.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:-

1. A humidifying apparatus comprising an air mixing casing, means forsupplying moistened air to one end of the casing, an air outlet pipeleading from the opposite end of the casing, said casing having an airinlet opening intermediate its ends, means for draining water ofcondensation from the casing, a fitting connected with the point of useof the conditioned air, one end of said fitting being open to theatmosphere, means connecting the air conducting pipe to the fittingintermediate its ends, a butterfly valve disposed in the fitting betweenthe air opening and the air conducting pipe, spring means normallyholding the valve in an open position, a solenoid including a slidingcore, means operatively connecting the core to the butterfly valve, thecore being adapted to move the butterfly valve to a closed positionagainst the tension of the spring upon the energizing of the coil of thesolenoid, a resistance. in circuit with the coil of the solenoid, andmeans including a device sensitive to the humidity in the atmosphere forregulating the amount of the resistance in the circuit.

2. A humidifying apparatus comprising an air mixing casing, means forsupplying moistened air to one end of the casing, an air conducting pipeleading from the opposite end of the casing, the casing having an airopening therein intermediate its ends, a fitting adapted to be connectedat one end to the point of use of the conditioned air, the airconducting pipe being connected to the fitting intermediate the ends ofthe fitting, one end of the fitting being open to the. atmosphere, aswinging valve disposed in the fitting between the air opening and theair conducting pipe, a solenoid including a coil and a movable core,spring means normally moving the valve to an open position, meansoperatively connecting the core with the valve, a resistance element incircuit with the coil of the solenoid, a swinging pointer movable overthe resistance element to vary the amount of resistance in the circuit,a strand of material sensitive to moisture adapted to vary in length inaccordance with the amount of moisture in the atmosphere, an operatingrod connected to an intermediate part of said material, a double-endedlever pivotally connected at one end to the rod and operativelyconnected at its opposite end to the pointer.

3. A humidifying apparatus comprising an air mixing casing, means forsupplying moistened air to one end of the casing, an air conducting pipeleading from the opposite end of the casing, the casing having an airopening therein intermediate its ends, a fitting adapted to be connectedat one end to the point of use of the conditioned air, the saidconducting pipe being connected to the fitting intermediate the ends ofthe fitting, one end of the fitting being open to the atmosphere, aswinging valve disposed in the fitting between the air opening and theair conducting pipe, a solenoid including a coil and a movable core,spring means normally moving the valve to an open position, meansoperatively connecting the core with the valve, a resistance element incircuit with the coil of the solenoid, a swinging pointer movable overthe resistance element to vary the amount of resistance in the circuit,a strand of material sensitive to moisture adapted to vary in length inaccordance with the amount of moisture in the atmosphere, an operatingrod connected to an intermediate part of said material, a doubleendedlever pivotally connected at one end to the to the pointer, and meansfor adjusting the tension of said material.

4. A humidifying apparatus comprising a casing, means for supplyingmoistened air to one end of the casing, an air outlet pipe leading fromthe opposite end of the casing, a fitting connected with the point ofuse of the conditioned air, one end of said fitting being open to theatmosphere, means connecting the air-conducting pipe to the fittingintermediate its ends, a valve disposed in the fitting between the airopening and the airconducting pipe, spring means normally holding thevalve in an open position, a solenoid including a sliding core, meansoperatively connecting the core to the valve, the core being adapted tomove the valve to a closed position against the tension of the springupon the energizing of the coil of the solenoid, a resistance in circuitwith the coil of the solenoid, and means including a device sensitive tothe humidity in the atmosphere for regulating the amount of theresistance in the circuit.

WILLIAM F. SHREVE.

